LOCAL Houston | The City Guide DECEMBER 2015 | Page 70

TOOLS+GADGETS
Michael Garfield, The High-Tech Texan® | www.hightechtexan.com

VINTURI SPIRIT AERATOR
One thing that most people don’t realize about spirits is that aerating them can enhance
the flavors and aroma. However, what holds most people back is the time it takes to
decant their spirits. Enter the speedy Vinturi spirits aerator that allows you to aerate spirits
instantly.
Similar to a wine aerator, you simply pour your favorite spirit into the opening at the
top of the gadget, press the spring-loaded button to release the spirit down through the
aerator and into your glass. As the spirit passes through the body of the aerator, the difference in pressure draws in the proper amount of air, which mixes with the spirit and
delivers an enhanced flavor and a smoother finish. $40 www.vinturi.com

Netchef™ G3
I have a computer in my kitchen which helps keeps my home life organized
but it takes up a lot of counter space. I recently switched to the Netchef G3
which is considerably smaller and makes my kitchen truly connected.
Shaped like a bread box, the Netchef allows grocery shopping and recipe
selection via voice search. It has preinstalled recipe and cooking websites
with thousands of recipes that are displayed on the large, color screen.
It also has a built-in camera so you can remotely watch a video stream on
your smart phone to monitor the activities of your kids or senior parents in
your home. Two large speakers allow for streaming music, and all your photos can be shown as a slideshow on the screen. $279 www.netchef-usa.com
IRIG® MIC LAV
As more people use their smartphones to capture video, the need grows for
more professional lighting, sound and editing. All budding gaffers realize
they can’t depend on their phones’ built-in microphone – which is why the
new Mic Lav from iRig is a smart accessory.
This mobile lavalier mic delivers professional quality audio – plus the ability to monitor and use two mics to record on one device – in a small size for
videographers, broadcasters and more on mobile devices.
The mic is simple to use as it plugs in to your phone’s headphone jack. Clip
the mic on your clothing a few inches from your face and it is ready to go.
The mic captures audio from most any app including iRig’s own Recorder for
iPhone®, iPad® and Android. $50 www.ikmultimedia.com

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| december 15